Red Flowers
by illusionary001
Summary: Red flowers have always lead Gojyo to misfortune, his mother had always called him useless; he always thought he was until he met Hakkai. Gojyo is about to be faced with his greatest fear in a very familiar scenario. Is it real?


Title: Red Flower

Author: illusionary001

Rating: NC-17 (not work safe)

Pairings: Gojyo/Hakkai and slight Dokugakuji/Hakkai (sort of)

Summary: Red flowers have always lead Gojyo to misfortune, his mother had always called him useless; he always thought he was until he met Hakkai. Gojyo is about to be faced with his greatest fear in a very familiar scenario. Is it real?

Warnings: character death (sort of), very miniscule implication of NC

Disclaimer: All I own is a couple of doujinshi and a cat named Sanzo.

* * *

Gojyo made his way back to his small home on the outskirts of town; he was a few minutes late, but the dinner crowd at the bar had been brutal. He wasn't used to a routinely job, being the one to hand out the drinks, instead of the one drinking with a winning hand and two girls on his hip. Things had changed since the journey, and while it was taking some getting used to, having Hakkai waiting for him at home made it all worth it.

The thought of the warm dinner Hakkai had probably prepared was making his mouth water, and he picked up the pace towards home.

It wasn't long before he saw the dim light coming through the windows of their tiny home. He was almost there when suddenly he stopped - the front door was open.

_Strange… why is the front door open?_

Cautiously, Gojyo walked through the front door.

"Hakkai…?"

The light was on in the kitchen, and the smell of burnt food gave the knowledge that something was wrong. He quickly turned off the stove and looked around. Everything was in its proper place, just like he had left it that afternoon, but there was a stillness that made Gojyo's stomach drop.

"Hakkai?" he called again.

Slowly he walked deeper into the living room where he heard a small snap. Looking down he saw a trail of red flowers leading to his and Hakkai's bedroom.

"What the hell…"

The door to the room was open just a crack, and was too dark inside to tell what secret lay behind its wooden barrier.

He crept cautiously towards the door, a familiar smell becoming pungent through the small crack in the doorway. He could feel his pulse start to beat at an exhilarated speed and his breaths grew shorter as déjà vu played itself like a broken video cassette.

"_Here, mother… I brought you some flowers…"_

"_Red… the color of blood… you filthy half-blood creature…"_

He swung the door open; a tall figure stood slouched over in the middle of the room, clutching something in its hands.

Gojyo's heart stopped.

"Doku…Dokugakuji…?"

"Hello Gojyo… You don't like calling me Jien anymore and here I thought we would've become closer after the whole thing with Gyumaoh?"

"Where's Hakkai…?"

"How sad it is, little brother, that red flowers always lead you to misfortune…Why don't you turn on the lights and see for yourself? Or are you afraid? Afraid to face the truth of the misfortune you bring?"

Dokugakuji's voice sounded dead and disturbed, not at all like his brother. Gojyo placed his hand on the light switch, but didn't move it. The stench of death and the voice of his brother left him paralyzed and wanting to remain submerged in the dark.

He didn't know how long he stayed frozen, his hand on the light switch, before the room was flooded with a revealing orange light.

Hakkai's body was on its side by the bed, his legs curled up slightly a sight all to familiar from his childhood. A pool of blood formed underneath from where he had been stabbed, now as cold as the lifeless body on top of it. Above him the bed sheets in shambles and telltale smears of red and brown indicated of what had transpired there.

"Ha… Ha…k…Hak…kai…"

Gojyo's eyes were frozen as they stared at the lifeless body of his best friend.

Doku gave Gojyo a deranged smile.

"He did exactly what I told him to do; he didn't want to hurt my precious son…my precious Jien…"

_Precious son… my Jien…? _

Gojyo looked at Dokugakuji with disbelieving eyes.

"That's right, you bastard of a child, you didn't think death would keep me from you?"

Falling to his knees, Gojyo reached over to touch Hakkai's still body. What was once warm and full of life was now stiff and cold, bled dry from the punctured hole in the flesh.

Hakkai hadn't defended himself, he had just done whatever he had been told to do, to protect Dokugakuji. Hakkai had died, to defend the one who allowed him to live. Everywhere he went, red and death followed, and one way or another, something he loved was taken from him.

"How did you find me, mother?"

"You made Jien kill his own mother, but mother knows best, and mother took over his body. For six years my spirit waited for my son to come back to me, like I knew he would. Unlike his bastard of a father who left me for that woman. He came to me, and he brought me here."

"You took over his body… you possessed him… and you killed… damn you mother!"

"The sins of the father must be paid by the son. Such a gentle man, he asked me not to hurt Jien, but I would never hurt Jien …. no…. never…. Still he laid there and let me take him away from you."

Dokugakuji went behind Gojyo and held him close, caressing the two scars on his cheek from so long ago.

"You will always be a curse and burden on those you hold dear. Your poor mother, who shed thousands of tears, and your poor brother, who was left to take your father's place. And now the one who lies here dead… the one you love above all others. "

Pulling away from Dokugakuji's hold, Gojyo gathered Hakkai in his arms and held him close. The effects of rigor mortis were setting in and Hakkai's half open eyes were fixed in one direction. Those soulless eyes stared at Gojyo, telling him of their final moments before Hakkai's heart had stopped. Slowly Gojyo's hand went for the limiters that still resided on Hakkai's ears, taking one off at a time and letting them drop with a clink to the ground.

Gradually the features of Hakkai's face began to change. Vines appeared on his pale skin, one green eye turned gold, and his ears and fingers morphed into a sharper form. It might just be wishful thinking on Gojyo's part, but maybe, just maybe Hakkai would come back if he released his demon form.

But a soul cannot return to a damaged body, and once a heart stops beating no amount of power can bring it back. The vine covered beast lay cradled in Gojyo's arms, still as dead as his human counterpart; drenched in blood, drenched in red. The blood splattered on his body, against the green vines, a red flower.

***

Gojyo woke with a start, his body drenched in sweat even in the cold. Looking around, it took him a while to realize he wasn't home, but in a shack. Goku lay unconscious on the cot across from him, still recuperating from the injuries he'd received during his battle with Hakkai.

Still, there was something missing, and his heart stopped when he thought of Hakkai laying sprawled out dead in the middle of the room. His mother had been right - he always brought misfortune to those around him. He had been useless to Hakkai.

_Where had Hakkai gone?_

The feeling of worry that had arisen from the dream caused nausea to rise up from his throat as he grabbed a nearby bucket and puked his guts out.

Maybe Hakkai had died, and Gojyo was just in denial. Perhaps when morning came he would go outside and see a freshly made, unmarked grave, where Hakkai's body lie. Beaded sweat continued to rise out of his shivering body, and a wetness formed at the corner of his eyes.

"_Don't cry, little brother…"_

Suddenly the door to the shack opened and Hakkai limped in, hurt but still alive.

"Oh… Gojyo, I'm sorry did I wake you? I had to-"

Hakkai never finished his sentence, for Gojyo had jumped out of the bed and pulled him into a tight embrace. For the first time in his life Gojyo realized that Hakkai may not make it through the journey. Just a few hours ago, Hakkai had been an inch from death, an inch away from being a lifeless corpse in a pool of blood.

For a moment, Gojyo allowed himself to ignore everything around him and take in the very essence that was Hakkai. He didn't know how long he held the green eyed man before the silence was broken by a small voice.

"Gojyo, you're crying…"

Looking down, his eyes met an emerald sea of worry. His face felt wet and sticky, and the corners of his mouth tasted like salt.

He hadn't realized he'd been crying.

Without uttering a word, he caressed Hakkai's face, feeling the soft cheeks of his friend.

"Are you all right, Gojyo? What's the matter?"

Within a few seconds Gojyo pressed his lips against Hakkai's, bringing them into a kiss.

"Mmm… Gojyo…"

Deepening the kiss, Gojyo gently backed Hakkai against the wall, being careful not to aggravate Hakkai's wounds. Hakkai wrapped his arms around Gojyo's naked torso, bringing the sweat-ridden flesh closer to him.

Gojyo pulled away, looking again into Hakkai's eyes to make sure they were filled with life, and not fixed in a lifeless stare.

"You had died…"

He kissed Hakkai.

"Your heart had stopped."

The kiss became deeper, more passionate, as if kissing would make Hakkai able to stay with him forever.

"There was blood, so much blood… Hakkai…"

Gojyo moved from Hakkai's lips to his neck running his tongue over the pale flesh, taking in the sweet taste.

Hakkai moaned.

"Ah…Go…jyo…ah…"

Returning to Hakkai's mouth, Gojyo moved his hands over Hakkai's body, feeling the warm and the quickening pulse through the skin. He stopped by Hakkai's pants and began to move his hand up and down over the small bulge. He felt Hakkai stiffened a bit as his length began to spring to life at the warm friction, but he soon relaxed, completely submitting to Gojyo's control.

Withdrawing from Hakkai's lips, Gojyo took Hakkai's hand and led him towards the

beaten old mattress they had been sleeping on minutes before. Slowly Gojyo sat Hakkai down, before kneeling and placing his head on Hakkai's lap. Hakkai placed his hands on Gojyo's head comfortingly.

"I'm here Gojyo… I'm here and I'm not going anywhere."

A small sob broke from underneath the strands of red.

"I…I couldn't do anything. Couldn't do anything to help you - when I saw you - lifeless in the blood… just like those red flowers… My mother was right, I am useless- I couldn't help Goku, and I almost lost you- I'm useless- I don't want to lose you; I don't want you to go away..."

Gojyo continued to sob into Hakkai's lap.

"_Don't cry little brother…"_

_It was ok to cry sometimes… _

Hakkai looked down at his friend, his face filled with solemn understanding.

"You aren't useless, Gojyo - your mother was wrong. I need you just as much as you need me, more even. Without you I would've given up a long time ago."

Hakkai gently lifted Gojyo's tear-stained face and looked into the crimson eyes that had saved him those four years ago.

"Without you, this monster inside of me would have taken over my body, mind, and soul… limiters or no limiters."

"Hakkai…"

Gojyo tenderly moved forward, and joined their lips together, pushing Hakkai down into the mattress. He broke the kiss and looked at his best friend.

"Will you be mine, Hakkai? Will you be my partner?"

Hakkai didn't answer, but simply brought Gojyo's lips back to his. Words were no longer needed as clothes were shed and their naked bodies were intertwined. Gojyo ran his hands over the white bandages that covered the horrific wounds Hakkai had received in his battle with Goku.

He would be careful not to aggravate them, when he became one with Hakkai.

Not having any lube, Gojyo took to the next best thing and coated his fingers with his saliva, slowly entering one finger inside Hakkai to prepare him. Hakkai's entrance was tight, having never been penetrated before that very moment.

Hakkai whimpered in discomfort.

"Are you ok?"

Hakkai gave a simple nod, giving Gojyo the ok to continue. Gojyo moved his finger in and out of Hakkai, feeling Hakkai's muscles clench around his finger. Soon Hakkai's moans and pants filled the room, and Gojyo had to look over to where Goku lay to make sure he was still in oblivion.

Entering with another finger, Gojyo started to stretch Hakkai to make the passageway a little less tight. With his free hand he gathered Hakkai's now semi-hard length and began to pump at a steady speed. He watched as Hakkai stared at him with lust filled eyes, his arms spread out to his sides.

Once Hakkai's length was hard, Gojyo removed his fingers and positioned his body so that he was looking at Hakkai. Taking his own length, he placed the tip right at Hakkai's entrance.

"I love you, Hakkai…"

With one thrust Gojyo pushed his length into Hakkai, joining their bodies. Yelping in surprise, Hakkai grabbed the cheap material of the mattress.

"I love you too Gojyo… oh Merciful Goddess… Gojyo!"

Stretching his body over Hakkai's, Gojyo began moving at a steady pace as to not hurt him. His red hair fell onto Hakkai's neck and chest as he began to place small kisses and bites on Hakkai's collarbone. He felt Hakkai wrap his arms around him, and place his mouth on his shoulder, holding him close.

Short breaths bounced off Gojyo's ear as he heard Hakkai breathe in sync with each of his thrusts. Reaching down between him and Hakkai, Gojyo once again began pumping Hakkai, wanting both of them to climax together.

"Gojyo… Gojyo... oh ah…"

Hakkai was making so much noise; Gojyo quickly looked over at Goku's still form and whispered a small prayer to the Merciful Goddess to let Goku stay unconscious.

Gojyo's body sped up and his sweat mingled with Hakkai's as he was about to reach climax. After a few more hard thrusts Gojyo froze on top of Hakkai, releasing his seed as he bit down on Hakkai's neck. At the same time a hot wetness coated his hand as Hakkai spurted his seed between them.

Hakkai was his.

Physically and emotionally spent, Gojyo let himself fall onto Hakkai's body, his clean hand intertwining itself with Hakkai's. Gojyo didn't know how long they lay in each others arms panting, before he was able to roll off next to Hakkai.

Hakkai looked over at him, his eyes full of satisfaction.

"We're very lucky Goku didn't wake up…"

Gojyo grinned.

"That monkey can sleep through an earthquake, and besides it's time he learned about the birds and bees."

Hakkai scooted closer to Gojyo and placed his arm across Gojyo's stomach.

"So I'm yours, Gojyo… what happens now?"

Gojyo thought for a moment.

"Well, we get you and Goku better, we finish this damn journey, we go home and I buy you a ring and take you as my wife."

"Your wife, eh?"

"And I know you wanted daughters, but we can always ado-"

Gojyo was cut off by Hakkai's lips.

* * *

Authors Notes: I hope you all enjoyed the fic. I got inspired to write this after I saw the season 4 finale of "Dexter", though this had a happier ending. ^^;; For those of you who don't know what "Dexter" is, it's a show on Showtime.

Originally I was going to have it that Hakkai be found in the bath tub, but my friend suggested I have him found in the same position Gojyo's mother was when she died.


End file.
